Wearing apparel and method of construction



Nov. 6, 1951 E. J. FLEET 2,573,871

WEARING APPAREL AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 20, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l Fio'l INVENTOR Bled.

' ATrbRNEY Lea YBY:

Nov. 6, 1951 E. J. PLEET 2,573,371

WEARING APPAREL AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 20, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY INVENTOR Nov. 6, 1951 E. J. PLEET WEARING APPAREL AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 20, 1950 3 Sheefs-Sheet s P 1 L0. 10. P 27 I INVENTOR Emanuel I Pleef.

BY CZZZM ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 6, 1 951 WEARING APPAREL AND METHOD or CONSTRUCTION Emanuel J. Pleet, BaltimorepMd. Application J anuary 20, 1950, Serial No. 139,557

7 Claims.

This invention relates to wearing apparel and is more particularly concerned with garments, such as trousers, skirts and similar items.

An important use of the invention is in the field of trousers and for this reason it will be described hereinafter and illustrated in reference to trousers although it is to be understood that it is also applicable to other types of wearing apparel.

Popular forms of trousers are those which are provided with verticalpleats at the front on either side of the center. The usual construction comprises a pair of spaced pleats on each side of the center, the primary or inner pleat of each pair, that is the one closer to the center of the trousers, being substantially longer than the outer or secondary pleat.

but is functional to the extent that a portion of it is used to provide the front opening of the tunnel. However, in none of the trousers of the previous types does the outer or secondary pleat serve a functional purpose. Their presence is, in general, ornamental only.

In the pleated form of trousers, the inner or primary pleat is sometimes positioned so as to face the center of the trousers and sometimes to face the side pockets, the latter being usually preferred. i

It is an object of this invention to provide trousers of the type mentioned in which both the inner and outer pleats are functionally utilized, without detracting from their ordinary ornamental appearance by fabricating them in such a way that a belt loop or tunnel is an integral part thereof, thus obviating the need for the ordinary separate belt loops and tunnels that are sewed typtes mentioned and of other manufacturing cos A still further object of the inventionis the provision of trousers having box pleats on the front thereof, the folds of which are so constructed and arranged as to provide belt loops and at the same time permit the. folds of the pleats to be positioned in difierentways.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following description considered together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the upper portion of a pair of trousers constructed in accordance with an embodimentof this invention.

Fig. 2 is an oblique section along the line 2-2 of Fig.1. H

Fig. 3 is a partially exploded oblique view of a portion of the upper part of the embodiment showing the manner in which a pair of pleats and a belt loop integral therewith are formed. Fig. 4 is a "front view of the portion shown in Fig. 3 with the pleats fully opened or extended showing the cut lines and folds.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modification of the embodiment illustrated therein.

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a partially exploded oblique view of a portion of the upper part of the modified embodiment showing the manner in which a pair of pleats and a belt loop integral therewith-are formed.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the portion shown in Fig. 7 with the pleats fully opened or extended showing the cut lines.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Figs. 7 ands-illustrating the cuts and folds of an alternate modification.

Fig. 10 is a section along the line llll0 of Fig. 5.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing in which like numerals designate like parts, the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 comprises an ordinary pair of trousers H having two vertical box pleats on the front wall on either side of the center thereof. Each box pleat comprises an inner or primary fold l2 nearer the center and an outer or secondary fold l3 nearer its corresponding side pocket. Each box pleat is formed with its folds behind its web M, the inner longitudinal edges i5 and it of the folds abutting each other at the upper part of the pleats to form the rear wall of the pleat. The remaining portions of the folded material project rearwardly to the front wall I! of the trousers behind the pleat web II and are cut vertically from the top to separate the upper portion of the pleats from the front wall of the trousers a distance sufllcient to permit the entrance of a belt l3 therebetween with allowance being made for edge binding at the top, said portions as thus cut providing two flaps l9 and 20 on the inner ends of the rear wall of the pleats which are secured together and flaps 2| and 22 on the front wall of the trousers which are reversed, that is disposed behind the front wall of the trousers which are reversed, that is disposed behind the front wall of the trousers, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, and sewed together in that position. The upper edges of the pleats are then folded over with the upper edge 23 of the trousers and secured together to the usual lining ordinarily provided.

Fig. 4 illustrates the lines of cuts and folds, the folds being indicated in dotted lines and the cuts in full lines, when the pleat is fully opened.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, '1 and 8 is for the purpose of reversing the direction of the inner or primary pleats. Some individuals prefer this type of pleat because of the forwardly offset effect it gives at the front of the trousers which tends to conceal a bulging waist line. In this modification, the box pleats are first formed as described in the embodiment previously described with inner and outer folds 24 and 25. A vertical cut 26 is then made'adjacent the inside loop of the primary fold in both the back wall of the pleat and the front wall 21 of the trousers behind the pleat web 21A. At the bottom of this vertical cut, a horizontal cut 28 is then made outwardly to the outside loop 29 of the primary fold. or the edge of the web, leaving a double strip 30 which is swung rearwardly 180 to a position behind the front wall of the trousers, as shown in Fig. 7. A second vertical out 3| is then made at the inside loop of the secondary fold to complete the separation of the upper part of the pleat from the front wall of the trousers. Pieces of material 32 and 33 are then sewed to corresponding cut edges of the folds to bridge the gaps left by the strip 30 in the rear wall of the pleat and the front wall of the trousers, respectively.

The lines of cuts and folds for this modified form are illustrated in Fig. 8, the folds being indicated in dotted lines and the cuts in full nes.

The upper edges of the pleats and strip 30 are then folded over together with the upper,

edges 3la of the trousers and secured to the usual lining material. The strip 30 thus serves to support the outer edge of the primary pleat in its reversed position and prevents it from sagging.

An alternate modification comprises forming the pleats and integral belt loop or tunnel as described and shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 and then cutting the primary pleat horizontally along a line just below the vertical out together with a portion of the front wall to free the lower portion of the fold entirely from the upper portion, then reversing the said lower portion and securing it in position by any suitable means, which may include an added vertical strip similar to the strip 30. The material would be out and folded along lines illustrated in Fig. 9. This alternate modification obviates the need for lining materials 32 and 33 since no gap would be effected at the back of the pleats or in the trouser wall. However, if the pleats are made deep enough at their upper parts to provide sufilcient material for the purpose, the

The pleated construction hereinbefore de-- scribed may be considered as being formed of pleats having front, rear and intermediate plies, with vertical extensions and flaps arranged to provide the belt loops. For example, the lower portion of member 21A of Figs. 5, 6 and 7 would constitute the front ply of the inner pleat which is continuous with and in substantially the same plane as the rear ply of the outer pleat (the one closest to the side pocket of the trousers). The upper part of the member 21A would constitute a vertical extension of the front ply of the inner pleat having edge portions turned inwardly and secured together by insert piece 32. The insert piece 33 may be considered as connecting a vertical extension of the rear ply of the inner pleat and a flap of a vertical extension of the front ply of the outer pleat underlying the upper part of the member 21A.

Having thus described this invention, I claim:

1. The method of manufacturing a pair of.

trousers having pleats and belt loops integral therewith, comprising forming a box pleat across the waist region of the trousers with the folds of the pleat behind the pleat web, cutting a portion of the folds to provide an opening for the reception of a belt, securing corresponding cut edges of the folds resulting from said cutting together behind the web, separating the lower portion of one of the folds of the pleat from the upper portion thereof, reversing the position .of said lower portion relative to the upper portion and securing it in said reversed position.

2. The method of manufacturing a pair of trousers having pleats and belt loops integral therewith, comprising forming a box pleat across the waist region of the trousers with the folds of the pleat behind the pleat web, separating a portion of one of the folds to provide an opening for the reception of a belt, separating the other fold by an L-shaped cut to provide a pair of separate flaps at the waist region and a reversible fold beneath said fiaps carrying a vertical strip thereabove, reversing said reversible fold from its original position and securing it in its reversed position by means of said strip.

3. A pleated construction for garments comprising a section of material having a pair of parallel pleats defining a first pleat and a second pleat, each of said pleats having a front ply, an intermediate ply and a rear ply, the front ply of the first pleat being in substantially the same plane and continuous with the rear ply of the second pleat, the rear ply of the first pleat having a vertical extension, the front ply of the second pleat having also a, vertical extension and a flap extending toward the vertical extension of the first pleat and underlying the vertical extension of the front ply of said first pleat, said fiap and said vertical extension of the first pleat being secured together, the front ply of the first pleat having also a vertical extension with edge portions turned inwardly and secured together to form a belt loop.

4. A pleated construction for garments comprising a section of material having a pair of parallel pleats defining a first pleat and a sec- 8 ond pleat, each of said pleats having a front ply, an intermediate ply and a rear ply, the front ply of the first pleat being in substantially the same plane and continuous with the rear ply of the second pleat, the rear ply of the first pleat having a vertical extension. the front ply of the second pleat having also a vertical extension and a fiap extending toward the vertical extension of the first pleat and underlying the vertical extension of the front ply of said first pleat. an insert piece between and secured to said flap and said vertical extension of the first pleat, the front ply of the first pleat having also a vertical extension with edge portions turned inwardly and secured together to form a belt loop.

5. A pleated construction for garments comprising a section of material having a pair of parallel pleats defining a first pleat and a second pleat, each of said pleats having a front ply, an intermediate ply and a rear ply, the front ply of the first pleat being in substantially the same plane and continuous with the rear ply of the second pleat, the rear ply of the first pleat having a vertical extension, the front ply of the second pleat having also a vertical extension and a fiap extending toward the vertical extension of the first pleat and underlying the vertical extension of the front ply of said first pleat, said flap and said vertical extension of the first pleat being secured together, the front ply of the first pleat having also a vetrical extension with edge portions turned inwardly, and an insert piece between and secured to said edge portions. A

6. A pleated construction for garments comprising a section of material having a pair of parallel pleats defining a first pleat and a second pleat, each of said pleats having a front ply, an intermediate ply and a rear ply, the front ply of the first pleat being in substantially the same plane and continuous with the rear ply of the second pleat, the rear ply of the first pleat having a vertical extension, the front ply of the second pleat having also a vertical extension and a fiap extending toward the vertical extension of the first pleat and underlying the vertical extension of the front ply of said first pleat, an insert piece between and secured to said flap and said vertical extension of the first pleat, the front ply of the first pleat having also a vertical extension with edge portions turned inwardly, an insert piece between and secured to said edge portions.

7. A pleated construction as defined by claim 3 in which the intermediate and rear plies oi the second pleat have a vertical extension attached to an upper part of the garment for supporting said plies.

EMANUEL J. PLEET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,307,553 Ketch June 24, 1919 1,351,380 Green et al. Aug. 21, 1920 2,071,574 Regis et al. Feb. 23, 1937 2,477,988 Pleet Aug. 2, 1949 2,504,718 Nagel Apr. 18, 1950 

